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Clatsop County Extends Emergency Preparedness To Hispanic Community

Emergency preparedness materials were available in Spanish at a public forum in Seaside, Ore.

Brenna Visser/The Daily Astorian

There are some things that need no translation. Anyone watching a video of an earthquake or tsunami can see that’s bad news.

But what is harder to translate is what to do in response. That is why Clatsop County Emergency Management, the Lower Columbia Hispanic Council and Mercy Corps partnered to host the first-ever Cascadia earthquake presentation in Spanish.

About a dozen Spanish-speaking residents filled Seaside High School library Wednesday to learn how to prepare for the devastating earthquake predicted to hit the coast.

“When we think of vulnerable populations, we think of people with classic, functional access issues: the elderly and children,” Emergency Manager Tiffany Brown said. “But when I think about it, I think about people who don’t speak English well. What renders one more vulnerable than not getting critical information in a language they understand?”